A data grid (e.g., Coherence) is composed of nodes having node attributes that defines the functionality of each node. Typically, in an environment that includes an application server (e.g., a WebLogic Server or another application server) and a data grid, the nodes in the data grid have been managed separately from the application server (e.g., within the data grid), and the application server can not directly manage the nodes in the data grid. Additionally, there is no central location available to manage both the application server and the data grid. These are the areas that embodiments of the invention are intended to address.